


The End of the Tunnel

by tanyasm10



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 05:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12162483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tanyasm10/pseuds/tanyasm10
Summary: When in the process of liberating a planet of the Galra's rule, Hunk makes a brash decision in order to save Keith's life.





	The End of the Tunnel

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. There's not nearly enough Heith angst in the world so have this for all your fragile hearts!

Laser fire blared as the screams and yells of terrified villagers resonated along with their panicked footsteps. Above was a massive ship where Galra sentry robots kept pouring out in waves.

Hunk was running, herding the villagers under cover from the fire of the large ship above. Team Voltron had come here after having caught wind of the fact that this planet was under Galra oppression for slave labour. Just the idea of what the Galra had made them do made Hunk’s skin crawl but they were counting on him now to help them and that was enough to push him forward.

_“Pidge, how’s that hacking going?”_ Shiro said over the com system. “ _We need those lasers to go out asap.”_

_“I’m working on it_ ,” came her disgruntled reply. _“Lance and I barely got on the ship with our skin intact. The security here is insane.”_

_“Hunk, how’re you holding up?”_

Hunk was about to answer but came across a robot at a corner. Without really thinking about it, he blasted the thing before it could hurt anybody. “I’m good. We’re nearly under cover.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Hunk heard the sounds of more lasers over the link before it cut off and he just knew that Shiro and Keith were under heavy fire. He needed to get back there as soon as the villagers were safe.

“How much further, Norgul?” he asked the village elder.

Norgul was old and wizened with four droopy eyes and holding onto a staff. He looked so frail it seemed like a breath of wind would knock him over. “The cave entrance is over there. The tunnels will lead us to safety. We can take it from here.”

“Wait, are you sure?”

“Only my people have access to these caves. The Galra know not of them. We shall be fine,” he said. “Go help your friends.”

Hunk was hesitant at first as he looked at all the villagers. There were easily over three hundred of them, and they looked at him with determined eyes.

“Elder is right, Yellow Paladin,” one of them said now. “We shall be safe. Go.”

Hunk nodded slowly before retracting his bayard. “Stay safe, guys. This’ll all be over soon.”

He left them as soon as they were inside the cave and well on their way down the tunnels. The ship in the sky was still blasting down on them with full force, though the castle-ship was now hitting it with its own lasers.

“Shiro, Keith, I’m coming!” he said over the com link.

Hunk had no idea whether they heard him or not since they didn’t reply. He didn’t take that as a good sign.

He hurried as quickly as his legs could carry him, the village once more coming into view. Amongst the Galra sentries he could spot red and black glinting.

“ _Okay, the lasers will go down in ten minutes,”_ Pidge said. _“Just sit tight.”_

Hunk made his way down the hill leading into the village, blasting sentries on the way. They got denser the deeper he got into the village but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

Finally, Shiro and Keith came into view. They were holding their own but it was obvious that they were getting tired. Keith looked graceful as his bayard rebounded laser fire while slashing his enemies and Shiro looked so determined as his arm struck through robots it was like he would never break concentration.

Hunk was still a little ways away from them, but he managed to shoot at the sentries to make their lives easier.

Suddenly a laser descended from above. Thankfully, it just missed Hunk as he dodged out of the way, but the force of it knocked him down and his bayard out of his hand. The impact was great, but Hunk was a large guy and managed it.

_“Hunk, are you okay?”_ Coran’s voice came from the speaker.

He opened his mouth to speak but only coughed after breathing in dirt and smoke. He was slightly light headed, but he was still fine. He just needed to lay for a moment.

Vaguely he could hear Coran asking if he was okay once more, but his eyes took notice of red paladin armour ahead of him. Keith was dancing around his enemies – Hunk had told him once that he reminded him of a dancer. The response was a heavy blush and incoherent spluttering.

But now he was really getting tired and sloppy, so sloppy he didn’t notice the sentry who was aiming his weapon at him.

“No…” Hunk’s voice was barely above a whisper. He couldn’t warn Keith, he didn’t have the voice to do it.

With new found strength Hunk stood, his body almost on autopilot. He ran faster than he ever thought he could, his mind practically white noise with only one thought that rang through clear as bell.

_I have to protect Keith._

He saw the enemy pull the trigger. He saw the laser come out. A part of him thought he was too late, but then—

_BAM!_

Keith turned, startled at the sound. He looked around, panicked until his eyes widened at Hunk sprawled on the floor. It was at that moment that Pidge said, “Ship offensive systems offline,” and the sentries around them fell.

“ _Hunk!”_

Keith fell to his knees at the yellow paladin’s side. There were yells of concern from the other paladins but he couldn’t hear them as he looked down at Hunk’s unmoving form.

He wasn’t breathing.

Keith trembled as he placed his hands on either side of Hunk’s face, not knowing what to do. “Hunk, wake up!”

Shiro was suddenly at his side, taking off Hunk’s helmet and feeling for a pulse. Keith waited anxiously.

“Keith, move,” Shiro said.

“What?”

Clearly there wasn’t any time for Shiro to explain himself as he practically shoved Keith away from Hunk’s body and placed his hands on chest before he began pumping.

It took Keith about a second before he realised that Shiro was performing CPR and another second to realise that Hunk’s heart probably stopped beating.

He nearly collapsed at the thought. He felt helpless. He couldn’t do anything but watch as Shiro tried desperately to revive Hunk after he sacrificed himself to save him.

“Come on Hunk,” Shiro said under his breath after breathing into his mouth. “Stay with us, big guy.”

He kept at it, talking to Hunk as he carried on. It felt like he was doing it for eternity, it might as well have been for Keith who was watching with baited breath.

Hunk showed no signs of responding and stayed still. This clearly alarmed Shiro who was becoming more frantic.

“No, no, no. Not like this, Hunk. Come on, not like this. Open your eyes for us.”

Keith wanted nothing more than to see Hunk’s large brown eyes again. He crawled over to him and held his hand between his own, hoping that it’d help.

_“Keith, what happened?”_ Lance demanded.

Keith didn’t know how to respond as he looked down at the yellow paladin. “Hunk is…I don’t know, he’s not breathing and Shiro is performing CPR on him.”

_“What!”_

“He jumped in front of me when I wasn’t looking. I think there was a laser or something, I don’t know, but he took on the fire. He’s not waking up.”

There was deafly silence on the coms as the others took in this information. Keith couldn’t see his expression but he knew exactly how Lance probably looked – grief stricken. He and Hunk went way back, before the Garrison it seemed like. For him to have his best friend taken away from him so suddenly…

“Paladins, you _must_ return Hunk immediately,” Allura’s voice rang. “We need to place him in a healing pod.”

That caused a flurry of arguments from the others but Keith couldn’t hear it.

He’d always imagined that if one of them were to die on the field, it was probably going to be himself. Keith wasn’t dumb, he knew he tended to be brash and impulsive – he let his instincts drive him forward. While it wasn’t _bad_ it was certainly risky, but Keith had come to terms with dealing with the consequences of having one misstep.

But it wasn’t him on the floor, it was _Hunk._ Hunk who smiled at everyone and everything. Hunk who could fix things just from one glance. Hunk who gave the biggest hugs to anyone willing to accept them. Hunk who snooped around in people’s belongings because he hated not knowing things. Hunk who was slowly but surely prying Keith out of his shell with each lingering kiss and soft touch.

Hunk who was fiercely protective over those he loved.

Shiro was trying not to but he was tears were welling up now. This made Keith aware of the ones currently falling down his own face.

Keith felt like he had failed him somehow. Hunk was supposed to be the one getting out of this alive, not him. The yellow paladin had laid down his life for him without hesitation – he was all or nothing when it came down to these things.  And it was weird because it was that passion that had made Keith fall in love with him in the first place. But now…

Suddenly there were coughs and Keith looked up to see Hunk groaning before opening his eyes. The red paladin never truly realised just how _warm_ they were before now.

“Oh thank God,” Shiro said, though not without choking.

 Hunk’s eyes looked kind of dazed as he sat up and glanced around him before they landed on Keith.

“You’re okay,” he said with a smile.

Flabbergasted, Keith just gaped at him. Even now he was more concerned about him than himself. Despite his better judgement he launched himself the yellow paladin and hugged him tightly, tighter than he ever thought possible.

“You nearly died,” he said, his voice muffled. “You nearly died trying to save me. Why would you even consider it?”

“Because I love you.” Hunk said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat, so don’t try telling me otherwise.”

Keith remained silent at this, probably planning on doing just that. He tightened his grip on Hunk even more as though he was frightened he’d disappear if he didn’t do so.

“Okay, Hunk’s okay, we get it,” Lance’s voice cut through the com system. “Now can we please get him out of there so we can put him in a pod?”

“Yes, we should do that,” Shiro said now. He’d stepped aside so that Keith and Hunk could have their moment. “Hunk, you think you can stand?”

“I can try,” the yellow paladin replied. “Depends on whether Keith plans to let me go any time soon.”

“What? Oh, sorry.” Keith retracted himself quickly. “Here. Let me help you.”

Hunk managed to stand up with both Keith and Shiro supporting him as they went to their lions. He was breathing haggardly, but he never said that he was in any pain which both of them knew was because he didn’t want them to worry more than they already did.

“Hunk you’ll have to ride with me or Keith,” Shiro said now. “You’re in no shape to pilot yellow.”

“Okay,” Hunk managed.

They’d decided on using Red since she was the closer of the two. Soon the two of them were alone in the cockpit after Shiro told Keith to keep Hunk awake until they got back to the castle-ship.

Red took off into the air followed by Black. Hunk was slumped back against the wall for support with his hand clutching onto his side.

“I’m sorry. For making you guys worry, I mean,” Hunk said.

“Hey, don’t talk. It’ll sap your strength,” Keith said. “Whatever else you want to tell me can wait until after you get back out of the pod, okay?” He paused for a moment before looking at Hunk fully. “Thank you for saving me out there. If it hadn’t been for you…Just thank you.”

Hunk nodded once, not wanting to use too much energy. Keith smiled softly in turn before looking out into the open sky once more.

“I love you too.”


End file.
